15th August 2008
Let’s get this D-show on the road!

Above - Jay Beard, SSR live sound tutor. One of the first in the world to be 210V qualified

Brand new Pro Tools Venue certification 210V is now available at SSR. Live Sound tutor Jay Beard (Elbow, Doves and Cherry Ghost) has just returned from London’s Pinewood Studios sporting a wider than usual smile. Jay recently attended a brand new certified Digidesign Live Sound Training course known as 210V. Those in the know will recognise the ‘V’ stands for ‘Venue’ and refers to the D-Show digital live mixing console which is currently revolutionising the field of live performance across the globe, due to it’s ease of use, impeccable sound representation and massive flexibility.

Jay was invited to Digidesign’s headquarters to attempt the UK’s first ever run of 210V training and assessment. Until now D-show training has not been available as a certified course anywhere in the world. Jay’s mate from years past Ian Nelson (live engineer for Placebo and Prodigy) delivered the training event. Jay said “It was a pretty intensive three days. The crunch came we all sat the exam and I’m please to announce that I passed (2nd attempt) and I am now one of only four qualified venue d-show operators in the world”.

SSR are pleased to announce that 210V certified training will be immediately available as a bolt-on for our Live Sound course from September this year, and will also join the host of other Digidesign training courses available at the college.

13th August 2008
Elliot inspires young Manchester record producers

Above - Music guru Elliot Rashman talking to SSR Summer School students

Elliot Rashman, manager of Manchester supergroups Simply Red and Happy Mondays, delivered a surprise talk on Thursday (31st July) to the pupils of SSR’s Summer School Programme 2008. Having sold over 70 million albums in his career to date, he could be said to be ‘well qualified’ to talk about making records.

Elliot, known for his passion for all things Manchester, dropped in to SSR unexpectedly to meet the shocked pupils. He engaged pupils for over an hour talking about the music industry past and present and about the psychological and artistic aspects of making successful records.

Bill Devon, Operational Director at SSR said “Elliot speaks with a passion and authenticity which captivates and inspires and I could see the immediate impact it was having on the pupils. He was very interested in the pupils’ own ideas and opinions and we covered a lot of ground. Elliot answered questions honestly and frankly and we spoke about everything from the unfortunate growth of safe, formulaic music made popular by such Television programmes as the X Factor to the courage needed for creating and displaying artistic originality. Elliot spoke like a true music guru and this made a fitting finale to an already highly successful week of recording and production with Record Producer and SSR tutor Alan Wrench.

SSR would like to thank Elliot and we look forward to his ‘Freshers Music Industry Seminar’ which is due to take place at SSR in early October.

12th August 2008
An evening of revelation with John Wood
SSR staff and students would like to extend a huge thank you to John Wood for his recent guest appearance at SSR on the 7th of August 2008. John delivered a spellbinding 90 minute talk combined with a number of entertaining and insightful demonstrations covering many aspects of the audio post production process.

The evening started off with a reception and light buffet in the Charlie Jones Live Venue, closely followed by a number of short post audio demonstrations delivered by SSR Post Production Tutors Paul Maunder, Sally Hesketh and Norbert Weiher. The studio demonstrations covered various techniques including ADR (automated dialogue replacement), Foley (the art of overdubbing sound effects, often using unusual sound sources) and final mixing.



After a brief description of the new Post Production course (starting this October) John enthralled the audience with his colourful and prolific career, spanning over the last 50 years. John played chosen clips from his personal show reel which included many memorable films and TV advertisements. These were interspersed with industry revelations, trade secrets and humorous anecdotes (during his travels John survived three light aircraft crashes, one including a pilot who died mid flight leaving him to land the aircraft!).

John, who starts teaching on the course in October, prepared a witty video demonstration outlining the many changes he’s seen (or heard) in sound over the last 60 years from the early days of fizz and crackle through Dolby in the 70’s and on to the digital revolution in more recent years.

The guest appearance concluded with a 30 minute Q & A session, where John was joined on stage by tutors Sally, Norbert and Paul. The audience asked questions ranging from Media City and the massive expected increase of post audio jobs in the region to classic film sound tracks and the future of the industry.

Ian Hu, SSR’s Principal said “It was very apparent that all the visitors, staff, and John himself thoroughly enjoyed the evening. John is a great story teller and kept us all highly entertained throughout the night. What he will bring to this course in terms of his vast experience, attention to detail and industry knowledge is absolutely priceless.”

To find out more about Film & TV Audio Post Production, please contact us, or see the course page here.

8th August 2008
Another first for Manchester and SSR!
The staff at SSR are especially proud to announce Manchester’s first Post Production Pro Tools official ‘expert’…. step forward please…... Norbert Weiher!

Norbert sat the Pro Tools 310P examination (expert instructor in post production audio) last Friday and after a full day of in-depth assessment, passed with flying colours. Tim Mynett (Digidesign’s European Training Manager) personally came to Manchester to test Norbert’s Pro Tools knowledge specifically in regard to audio for film and TV work.



310P is one of the highest levels of instructor certification awarded by Pro Tools developer Digidesign. To understand the weight of Norbert’s achievement, this prestigious title is held by only eleven other people in the world.

“This was a tough test – Tim spent about 6 hours with me covering everything from keyboard shortcuts to fluidity in commonly encountered post production workflows. I am glad I made it and am now ready to pass on my knowledge to SSR students” said Norbert after completing the exam.

“This is another good reason for anyone interested in post production to opt for our courses” says Ian Hu, Principal of SSR. “It shows again that our school keeps to its commitment of providing the highest possible level of training.” Norbert will be teaching alongside Sally Hesketh (Granada/ITV) on SSR’s new TV and Film Audio Post Production course starting in September

24th July 2008
Happy Monday!
Happy Mondays’ manager Elliot Rashman will be sharing his vast experience of the music business with the SSR students after joining the staff here at the School of Sound Recording.

The former manager of Simply Red will be taking up a teaching role to deliver lessons on the music business.

Elliot will include the responsibilities and skills required in managing a band among his classes.

He will also lecture on the thorny areas of handling the finances, copyright royalties and the impact of websites such as iTunes.

Elliot said “Joining the SSR team will be a great experience. SSR is a fantastic resource for young people in the city and I am looking forward to helping the talent in Manchester grow.”

Elliot will also be looking to identify fresh talent plus mentoring new musicians and artists while he is at the school.

SSR principal Ian Hu said “The knowledge that Elliot will be sharing with our students is priceless”

24nd July 2008
Manchester's Glastonbury?
Could Manchester be on the verge of staging its own annual Glastonbury? Plans are in motion to create Manchester’s largest ever open air festival to rival the likes of the Carling Festival in Reading and Leeds, the V Festival and T In The Park in Scotland. And SSR will be at the centre of the planning and development of this awesome project.

All this is excellent news for SSR students, who will be presented with many exciting opportunities and could even find themselves landing key roles at the event.

Big hitters in the Manchester music scene are already in secret talks to establish the music festival next summer and we are confident that the event could become a regular feature on the calendar.

At the moment, planning is still in the early stages, but currently, local music industry movers and shakers are formulating plans for an open-air event and are looking at a range of sites, including Heaton Park, as the potential venue for a two-day music bash.

One of those involved in the early talks is SSR teacher and Happy Mondays manager Elliot Rashman. Elliot has just joined the staff here at SSR and we are please to announce that we will be acting as a base for the organisation and development of the event.

Elliot said: "It would be great for this city to have a first class annual open air music festival. Manchester has contributed more than most to the UK music scene over the years. We should aim for a great festival as an integral part of the city's summer calendar. There are policing and licensing issues, which would have to be overcome, but I'm fully behind the idea."

Our director of education Wendy Breakall, said: "Manchester is regarded as the heart of the UK music industry. It's about time this city had its own established music festival to match that reputation and to rival all the other established festivals across the UK. I am certain this event would attract interest from music fans across the UK and would be a unique opportunity for our own students to get close up with the industry."

Given the go ahead, bands such as Elbow, Ting Tings, Doves and the Happy Mondays are expected to be on the bill alongside the most popular international and chart-topping rock and pop acts from around the world.

22nd July 2008
SSR in collaboration with Salford
SSR is delighted to announce that work has begun on the development of a Masters Degree Programme in Post Production to be run in partnership with the University of Salford.

Salford is one of the top universities in the UK and has always been a centre of excellence for media education. Its excellent media department has a long standing reputation that is set to rise even higher when they relocate to Mediacity in the near future.

The course is provisionally set to launch in September 2009 and will combine Salford’s impeccable academic standards with SSR’s industry values.

10th July 2008
Advanced Apprenticeship in Media Production

Designed specifically for people who wouldn’t usually get the chance to work in TV, the Advanced Apprenticeship in Media Production was launched in November 2007 and has been hailed as a unique opportunity to break into the business and work behind the scenes of the broadcasting industry.

Some of the biggest names in TV have joined forces to offer twenty 16-22-year-olds the chance to take their first steps on the career ladder.

The BBC, ITV Granada, Lime Pictures and the Red Production Company are some of the companies backing the initiative, which has been devised and funded by Northwest Vision and Media, Skillset, The BBC and the Learning and Skills Council.

SSR was chosen as the venue to host the second round interviews. Also, SSR’s Director of Education, Wendy Breakell has been invited to assist the BBC in their recruitment for the advanced media apprenticeship. Wendy said “I am delighted to be involved with this important process that will give young people a shot at an exciting opportunity to take their further steps to a career in the industry”

The 18-month programme, which will run until June 2009, will offer apprentices the chance to develop core skills in TV production, with story telling and audiences at the heart of all the work they do.

At the end of the scheme, it’s hoped the apprentices will be the next generation of industry talent. There are no guarantees, but once the scheme ends the trainees will have acquired all the skills and experience they need to secure work in their chosen part of the media industry.

4th July 2008
SSR gets the Elbow!

News just in, and it’s not what you think… It’s good news, in fact it’s very good news for anyone already enrolled on one our Summer Schools Programmes in 2008, or anyone now thinking about enrolling.

SSR have just had confirmation from 2 of the biggest names in the Manchester music scene, that they want to get involved in helping the development of young people interested in music. Both have agreed to get involved in the Summer Schools programme 2008 which starts at the end of July.

Elbow’s Guy Garvey (lead singer and song writing genius) and music manager Dave Rofe (Doves, Cherry Ghost) will be casting a watchful eye over the proceedings and also giving their advice to our pupils.

Dave Rofe and Guy Garvey

11th June 2008
SSR’s brand new Film/TV Audio Post Production course set to sync with Media City!

As expert trainers in sound and video technologies SSR could be said to know a little about synchronisation (smarmy rub of nails on jacket lapel). It won’t come as a surprise to you then, that SSR are timing the graduation of our brand new Audio Post Production course to sync with the launch of Media City in Salford Quays in 2010. http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/

Media City is set to become the UK’s central creative hub, housing every type of technical and creative company from radio and TV stations, graphics and advertising agencies to music and post production facilities (the final sound production stage for TV programmes and films).

It is said that Media City will do for Manchester what Silicon Valley has done for California in respect to creating wealth and prosperity for the area. As far as jobs go, it is estimated that over 15,500 jobs will be created through relocation and new business. SSR creative partner The BBC has already reserved 10% of the available floor space for a migration of various departments from London to the area. Other leading companies around the UK are also moving including Sumners.

So… if you are thinking of moving into the field of post audio, or upskilling using the latest techniques and technology there’s really never been a better time to start your training. We are currently enrolling for the post course at SSR, which starts in September this year. If you do start in September your graduation will coincide with the start of the launch of the biggest event to take hold of Manchester in its entire history. Our careers department along with our strong links into the industry will help you open the right doors. The future is certainly looking bright.

11th June 2008
I want my MTV!

At SSR there’s somewhat of a buzz going around the building at the moment. “Is it because you’ve got 25 years of music and audio training expertise under your belt and hundreds of successful graduates in jobs around the globe”? I hear you ask. Well, not really, we’ve kind of got used to that kind of stuff by now. What it is, is that we can now finally announce a closely guarded secret that we’ve been keeping for over a year now. So finally...

SSR are proud to announce the UK’s very first Music Video Degree course!. It’s another first for SSR (remember we were first in the UK for sound training, DJ training and the first Digidesign Pro School to open in Europe).

The Music Video Degree was developed in collaboration with the University of Bolton and is due to launch at SSR this September. The BSc (Hons) degree combines academic and practical studies and will give students insight from an industry-perspective, into the various processes used in professional video production, using the format of the ‘Music Video’ first made popular by MTV way back in the 1980s.

Chase Johnston-Lynch, born in New York and now SSR’s head of video, said “This course is not only for budding music video producers – it’s for any film producer. We chose the format of the music video for a number of reasons. Primarily because it is a format everyone understands and is usually only 3 to 4 minutes in duration, so this makes the production ‘bite sized’ and manageable. Of course the techniques employed in making music videos are the same for most creative works in this medium, but this fits remarkably well with other the other creative courses we deliver here.

With over 300 music and sound students visiting SSR each year there shouldn’t be any shortage of artists and musicians to work with. The other consideration is that many of the sound engineering students have already expressed an interest in taking video modules, as the whole Audio-Visual (A/V) industry is now rapidly becoming multi-disciplinary”.

The 3-year course will feature much ‘hands on’ experience using high-definition cameras, lighting and sound, studio production and editing techniques, as well as post production processes and marketing of the video. In line with the standard practice of SSR, the video editing equipment used will include a range of the most popular hardware and software employed globally by the film and TV industry, including Final Cut Pro (Apple) and Avid (Avid Technology). Facilities will include bespoke classrooms, Cyclorama, computer suites and a number of individual editing suites and studios for practical work.

So if you fancy a career as a film producer why not come to the Open Day on Saturday, June the 21st and find out more!

SSR are expecting a busy day, especially in light of our exciting new courses in Video Production, Radio Production and TV/Film Post Production and the fantastic new facilities that we are developing. This is in addition to a huge array of existing courses in music and sound design and production for budding artists and technicians alike.

During the course of the day there will be tours of SSR’s famous facilities, interactive demonstrations and workshops, and a chance to meet with and talk to tutors and current students. There will also be the chance to take advantage of a special OPEN DAY OFFER for those wishing to enrol on the day.

So, if you’re serious or even just curious, why not head down to SSR for an entertaining and action packed day. Doors open at 11am and close at 4pm. You don’t need to phone or register to come along, but be sure to come before 3pm at the latest, to avoid disappointment. All are welcome.

10th June 2008
Open Day at SSR – Saturday 21st June 2008

Ever wondered how to get a foot in the door of the music industry (recording, production and live sound), computer games industry, or the TV or radio industries? If so why not come down to SSR and find out.

Our Open Day event takes place on 21st June 2008 at SSR’s state of the art facilities (click here for map) and is set to start at 11am.

10th June 2008
Music Creation Tour 2008

On Saturday 31st May 2008, SSR proudly Hosted the Digidesign European Music Creation Tour on one of two UK dates. Over 150 people attended the event, which saw presentations and demonstrations in many aspects of Music Creation and showcased Digidesign’s latest Hardware and Software.

Participants were able to sample the very latest Digidesign products in SSR studios throughout the day and get hands on with the equipment. Our very own Live Sound tutor Jay Beard demonstrated Digidesign’s Digital Mixing consoles, while our Pro instructors Martin Desai and Chris Power conducted ProTools training and taster sessions in our computer suites. Ren Swan (Katy Tunstall) was also in attendance, hosting a question and answer session on recording and mixing techniques in the Charlie Jones Live venue.

Along with hardware demonstrations, guests were also able to sample some of the latest Digidesign plugins, including Transfuser and Eleven. Simon from Digidesign was on hand to demonstrate the features of these new products and highlight some of the new creative processes these plug-ins can provide to the ProTools user.

M-Audio were also on the tour showcasing the latest in recording studio technologies and digital DJ products. Visitors had the opportunity to experience the diverse and broad range of M-Audio products for the studio with hands-on product demonstrations and tutorials.

SSR would like to thank DigiDesign and all those involved for making the day a great success, and we look forward to the return of the tour in 2009.

6th June 2008
SSR are pleased to announce our educational partnership with professional plug-in manufacturer Sonnox.

As part of the partnership Sonnox have provided SSR with their entire range of plug-ins, which are now installed on over 70 SSR workstations, including all studio environments (from entry-level to advanced), Computer Suites and the Charlie Jones Live Venue. Students will also benefit from greatly discounted Sonnox products, once enrolled on an SSR training course.

3rd June 2008
Girls Allowed

Courtesy of industry partners Production North, ten SSR students were kindly allowed access to the behind the scenes setup of the Girls Aloud gig at the MEN arena last Sunday afternoon. Production Manager Mike Clegg welcomed the students in at the back door of the arena where they met up with Mike Warren the FOH Engineer. Mike talked and demonstrated at length about the setup of the sound system for the show and went through the processes involved in the sound check.

Picture taken by an SSR student at the event

14th May 2008
SSR are delighted to be hosting the Digidesign European Music Creation Tour 2008 - on Saturday 31st May 2008

Coming soon to select cities across Europe, the Pro Tools Music creation tour is your opportunity to get up close and personal with Digidesign products. Featuring FREE training, masterclasses and seminars, these events will showcase new products and special guests. On Wednesday 28th May the tour comes to central London at the RSA, just off the Strand, and hits Manchester on Saturday 31st May at the School of Sound Recording. The UK events are brought in association with online professional musician’s community www.song-tank.com and Future Publishing’s www.musicradar.com and Future Music and Computer Music magazines.

This is another great opportunity for SSR (Europes premier Pro School) and Digidesign to work together to deliver the latest award winning digital audio products to professional and enthusiast alike. Among other products and demonstrations we will be housing Digidesigns D-Show and Profile Consoles, The latest in Digital Live Sound Consoles (Unique to the UK leg of the Music Creation Tour).

30th April 2008
Stayin’ out for the summer!

By way of confirmation that we really are the ‘school of sound that listens,’ SSR are proud to announce our brand new Summer School programme for 2008. Following on from last year’s Summer School’s success and with so much positive feedback from our students, we’ve doubled the number of services on offer for this year (there are now 5 exciting training courses available!). Due to increased demand we’ve also extended availability making the Summer School period a full 5 weeks. The Summer Schools activities are aimed at young people looking to develop their skills in music performance and music technologies (or both), and especially aimed at those with a possible future career goal in the music industry.


Each activity on offer is 5-days in duration (Monday to Friday), aimed at people aged 14-18years. You can choose any number of activities (from 1 to all 5) and these will run from July 28th to August 29th. The list of available services is:

1. Singing and Stage Performance Skills
2. DJ Techniques
3. The Band Service
4. Record Producer Introductory (an intro to professional sound engineering and Pro Tools)
5. Electronic Music Production (with Cubase and Reason software)

There are also special discounts available for 2 or more services chosen.

To enrol please contact: Bill Devon on 0161 276 2107
or email

28th April 2008
Let the champagne flow! – in memory of Charlie Jones

It always gives us great pleasure to hold a course graduation ceremony, for the obvious reasons – like gloating on our own successes through the success of our students! (not to mention the food and drinking bit). But this particular graduation is a little special… This is the graduation from the first ever run of the Live Sound course at SSR.

In case you didn’t know, not only is the course unique in the UK as the only real ‘comprehensive’ and ‘industry-led’ training available for aspiring live engineers, but it was all brought about through the hard work and determination of a man who we at SSR (staff and students alike) respect and admire beyond words.

Chris Hill of Wigwam brought the live sound course to SSR following the death in 2006 of one of the county’s best live engineers and one of Chris’ closest friends; Charlie Jones. We would like the amazing success of this first run of the course to serve as a further tribute to Charlie and also to Chris whose hard work and determination (not to mention the equipment!) made the new course possible. It is great to see the attitudes, humour and work ethics of the live industry itself crossing into education at SSR and we believe in this way the spirit of Charlie lives on. This has been clearly reflected by the level of success of the students.

Thanks also go to Helen Jones (Charlie’s sister) whose continued ideas and support have also contributed to the success of the course. Helen set up the Charlie Jones Scholarship in 2006 with Wigwam and SSR in memory of her brother, and of which 3 students so far have been in receipt of this prestigious award.

And as we are on the subject of thanks, we could hardly forget the huge contributions made by Alex Hadjigeorgio; Wigwam’s famous digital specialist. Alex has advised and supported SSR staff and students alike through the first run, and ensured the smooth running of some of the world’s most advanced technology which is covered on the course.



A further note of gratitude is extended to Jay Beard – the head tutor of the live sound course at SSR. Jay definitely had his work cut out with the transition from live engineer for headlining acts such as Doves, Cherry Ghost, Elbow etc, to live sound tutor, but we can safely say the transition has been as smooth as his mixing skills. Jay’s hard work and focus has ensured success for his students, over half of whom are now in full-time employment within the sound industry.

Anyway, enough of slapping ourselves on the back – Proud congratulations are in order for the following graduates: Nicolas Barnard, Richard Cook, Bill Dalton, Paul Danson, Hassan Dawson, Simon Hawkins, Joe Heaton, Ian Routledge, Pete Seddon, Matt Talbot, Vasilis Angelides and Andrew Wood. The certificates were given out at the beginning of the last Wired night by the master of ceremonies Chris Hill.

Chris adds ‘It’s amazing really to think that not only have we got this course off the ground but it’s also a real success! Most of the people who graduated have already started or about to start jobs in live sound’.

‘I’m really proud of this first group, there will be many more course attendees but there will never be another first group and I couldn’t have wished for a better one. I wish you all the best of luck in your future careers. Don’t forget us!’– Jay Beard

21st April 2008
Chorlton High School Super Learning Day

SSR was recently delighted to host a Super Learning Day for 75 pupils from Chorlton High School. The pupils were treated to a series of 5 different workshops covering some of the skills used in the Audio Industries. Workshops included Live Sound (using the virtual Stadium rig pictured to mix the Black-Eyed Peas), Post Production (editing sound for film and TV), Studio Engineering (making a record), Electronic Music Production (with Reason software) and DJ skills. All workshops were delivered by our industry-active tutors using SSR's world-leading facilities. The pupils were delighted with the day with many commenting that they would like to come back when they leave school, as full-time SSR students.

Quotes from pupils include:
- “I was amazed by all the different studios and facilities – SSR is much bigger on the inside and the equipment is really cool and space age!”
- “Now I want to work as a sound editor for the film industry”
- “The staff were really nice and really funny”
- “Chengy is the best”
- “I want a career in live sound and to travel around the world!”

Tutor Becky Cooper from Chorlton High School said “'Thank you very much for CHS's Super learning day at SSR. Pupils were given a real insight into potential future careers in the music and sound industries and were really inspired by what they learnt. The SSR tutors were welcoming and friendly and the facilities are outstanding.'

Calling all schools - If you would like to spend your Super Learning Day at SSR, please contact Bill Devon on 0161 276 2107
or email

14th April 2008
Coldplay Sound Engineers visit SSR

In preparation for their 2008/9 World tour, Coldplay sound engineers Dan Green and Chris Woods came in to SSR to evaluate 2 live digital consoles; namely the Digidesign Profile and the new Digico SD7.

Wigwam Acoustics of Heywood are again providing the sound for the tour, MD Chris Hill said “we wanted to have a closer listen to both consoles and put them through their paces in a studio environment with some live multi-track (Pro Tools) recordings of Coldplay’s last tour”. The World Tour starts in the USA and over the following 12 months will visit Japan, Australia and Europe.

The crew evaluate Digico’s new SD7. Pictured left to right: Tom Aston (SSR’s Technical Manager), Chris Woods (Coldplay’s Monitor Engineer), Alex Hadjigeorgio (Wigwam’s Digital Specialist), and Dan Green (Coldplay’s Front of House engineer).

17th March 2008
SSR at Westlife Tour 2008

On Saturday 16th, March another set of 20 students where treated to the field trip of a lifetime. They were allowed access to all areas of the MEN arena for the Westlife sound check and gig.

All photos were taken by students during the event Please click an image above to enlarge

13th March 2008
Mike and Alex prove a hit at open evening

SSR would like to thank Mike Hayes of 3sixty Media and Alex Hadjigeorgio of Wigwam acoustics who delivered guest talks during our open evening on Wednesday 12th March. Mike and Alex joined our principal Ian Hu to offer prospective students a real world insight into the industry.

The evening also featured workshops from three of our industry-active tutors; Paul Maunder (Post Production), Martin Desai (Music Production) and tutor Jay Beard (Live Sound).

We would also like to thank everybody who made it down on the night, we hope you found the evening enjoyable and informative.

Our next open evening will be held on Thursday the 10th of April, starting at 7:00pm. There is no need to book a place on this event, so if you are interested in becoming a student at SSR, or if you just want to take a look around the school, please come along and enjoy the event.

19th February 2008
SSR ARENA TRIP - MARCH 2008

For the second year running, the production team behind Westlife are offering, SSR students the opportunity to see behind the scenes at a one of the band’s major gigs.

Westlife are one of the world’s most successful live acts filling, areas wherever they go.

20 lucky students will get the chance to visit the MEN arena on the 16th March 2008 for a truly unforgettable experience

SSR would like to thank Steve Levitt of Production North for providing our students with such a fantastic opportunity. Steve will be mentoring the students to give them a real look at what happens behind the scenes on an arena size production.

Last year was a fantastic event and the students had an excellent experience. The students met with SSR principal Ian Hu and Wigwam director Chris Hill at the back stage entrance. Shortly afterward, Chris Hill took the students inside and gave them a full tour of the arena, this included the loading bays, production office, touring catering department, behind the stage and of course the main auditorium. Students were treated to talks by Monitor engineer ‘Grubby’, Front-of-house engineer Mark Littlewood, Tour manager Mel and Pro Tools operator Oz. They then witness a live sound check by the band (this was put on especially for the students). As if this wasn’t enough the students were then given access areas passes throughout the gig.

Any SSR students who wishing to go this time should email Ian Hu - ian.hu@s-s-r.com (IMPORTANT, the subject heading on the email must be Westlife 2008)

Click here to see pictures from last years event.

21st February 2008
Charlie Jones Scholarship Winners – March 2008!
SSR are very pleased to announce the names of the latest winners of this prestigious award.  Natalie Hill and Rory Birch beat over 100 other applicants to become the latest beneficiaries of the scholarship.  Usually there would be only one winner, but the applications were so strong that the panel of judges could not decide between the two.  The judges (comprising Chris Hill and Alex Hadjigeorgio of Wigwam Acoustics (web link), Helen Jones (Charlie’s sister), Dr Nick Clarke (University of Manchester) , Wendy Breakell and Ian Hu of SSR eventually decided to offer the award to both applicants.  Natalie and Rory will begin training on the Audio Engineering Techniques and Technology course March 4th 2008 at SSR.  Both will specialise in Live Sound in the second year. 

from left to right - Nick Clark, Wendy Breakell, Natalie Hill, Rory Birch, Bill Devon, Alex Hadjigeorgio, Ian Hu

19th February 2008
A room with a vision!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be at a music festival in front of 20,000 people and mix the sound for a world famous band?  Well you don’t have to wonder any longer because Virtual Stadium Mixing has just come to Manchester.

The School of Sound Recording has recently taken receipt of a state-of–the-art Virtual Stadium Mixing rig which was designed and built by Digidesign, creator of Pro Tools, the world-leading music recording software developer. 

The rig (designed for educational purposes only) is one of only two in the world (the other one at Digidesign in Los Angeles) and becomes available to students of SSR following the launch of the Digidesign Suite on February 14th. 

24th January 2008
Leading academic Nick Clarke joins the team at SSR

SSR is delighted to announce that Nick Clarke from the University of Manchester’s Faculty of Engineering and Science is working for SSR as a Creative Advisor.

Nick will be helping to develop our Higher Education provision and further our links with leading UK and international universities ensuring that SSR retains its cutting edge and reputation as a national and international centre of excellence for multi-media education. Nick CV is impressive and includes a long period working with the late Tony Wilson at Factory Records. Prioviously, Nick was a Senior Lecturer at Salford and Manchester Metropolitan Universities.

Currently Nick is leading the development of our new BSc in Music Video Production with Bolton University and the Foundation Degree in Radio Production in collaboration with Lancaster University and Accrington and Rossendale College.

5th February 2008
Open Evening - 13th Feb 08 - featuring industry guest speaker Mike Hayes

SSR’s next open evening on Wednesday 13th February will feature a guest speaker; Mike Hayes Audio Operations Manager for 3sixtymedia. Mike will be offering an invaluable insight into the industry. 3sixtymedia, owned by ITV Productions and BBC Resources provides studios, locations, post production and creative facilities to the Broadcast industry.

The evening also features workshops from three of our industry-active tutors; Paul Maunder (Post Production), Martin Desai (Music Production) and tutor Jay Beard (Live Sound).

There is no need to book a place on this Open Evening, just turn up on the night and enjoy the event.

18th January 2008
Sally Hesketh joins the School of Sound Recording

SSR are happy to announce the arrival of our new post-production tutor, Sally Hesketh.

Sally is a freelance sound engineer, who is very active in the industry working for the likes of 360Media, Sound Moves and XFM. Some of the shows she have worked on include: Stars In Their Eyes, Soapstar Superstar, Panic Room, Identity, That Antony Cotton Show, Mastermind, University Challenge, Heaven And Earth, 'Allo 'Allo (Return Special) and Honey, We're killing the kids.

Sally spoke at our recent conference to promote women into the industry describing her early experiences and giving practical advice and hints on how to succeed. So we are particularly pleased that SSR has Sally as a role model for other women who want to pursue careers in this field.

Ian Hu, principal of SSR said “We are delighted to have Sally on board, her industry experience combined with her natural enthusiasm and charisma will prove highly beneficial for our students.”

17th January 2008
Foundation Degree in Radio Production - Starts September 2008

SSR is proud to announce an exciting new radio production and presentation foundation degree, starting September 2008. The course covers not only essential presentation skills but also production techniques such as digital recording and editing. You’ll get an understanding of key roles in radio such as programme controller, presenter and producer and also learn how to write for radio, create features and documentaries as well as comedy, drama and music programmes.

“I’m always asked what are the disadvantages of my job… I can’t think of any!”
Jude Vause-Walsh, Presenter, Century Radio, Manchester

“We want people who are passionate about radio”
John Ryan, Managing Director, Radio Manchester

“We need people who can provide ideas in an ever changing market place”
Gary Stein, Programme Director, KEY 103 Manchester

“We need people who have a real feel for the spoken word”
Matt Morris, Head of News, Radio Five Live

Find out more about the SSR Foundation Degree in Radio Production by contacting Pete Reeves now on 0161 276 2100 or pete.reeves@s-s-r.com

8th January 2008
Fancy a career as a Live Sound Engineer?

Apply now for a Free Scholarship Placement to study on the highly acclaimed Audio Engineering Techniques & Technology Course here at SSR in Manchester! (Fees for this course would normally be £5,832)

The Charlie Jones Scholarship is a tribute to one of the country’s most talented sound engineers. Charlie’s passion was not only about music, it was also about hands-on training and educating the next generation of engineers to a high level. By sponsoring a student who may not otherwise be able to afford to pursue their desire to work in Live Sound, we offer them the opportunity to achieve that dream.

21th December 2007
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at SSR

We ended the year at SSR on a real high, with a soiree held for our staff, students and creative partners in the Charlie Jones Live venue. We would like to extend special thanks to Ernies Rhythm Section who provided the live music for the event.

2007 has been an excellent year for SSR and we look forward to being the centre of excellence for all audio related training in 2008.

In the meantime all that remains is to wish all our students, past and present and creative partners a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Prosperous New Year. We look forward to reopening on Monday the 7th of January 2008.

27th November 2007
SSR promotes women into Sound Engineering

The School of Sound Recording is association with the European Social Fund held a FREE conference for women seeking a career in media and audio. The conference ran from 1-3pm on Saturday 15th December at SSR.

There were two guest speakers Jude Vause-Walsh and Sally Hesketh.

Jude’s first on-air job was reporting on the traffic from a little plane known as "the eye in the sky" where she read Cosmo, ate chocs...oh, and reported on the traffic...

Today, she keeps her feet firmly on the ground and graces the airwaves each Monday to Thursday, from 7.30pm to 10pm on Century FM. When asked about her career Jude said, “One of the best perks of the job is getting to meet celebs. Robbie Williams was odd and rambling - though it was 7 years ago, when he was at the height of his 'problems'! Kylie was the most charming and candid, but Gary Barlow had me the most excited. He told me I had a gorgeous accent!”

Sally is a freelance sound engineer working primarily for 360Media, Sound Moves and XFM. When asked how she got started she recalled “My interests in sound started at college, doing theatre tech as an extra curricular programme, but it soon became a bit of an obsession which lead to me skipping class in order to work on shows.”

Some of the shows she have worked on include: Stars In Their Eyes, Soapstar Superstar, Panic Room, Identity, That Antony Cotton Show, Mastermind, University Challenge, Heaven And Earth, 'Allo 'Allo (Return Special) and Honey, We're killing the kids.

The conference involved short workshops / presentations from both guests, followed by Q & A sessions. There was also the opportunity for Jude and Sally chat informally with attendees over complementary refreshments.

Thanks to everybody who attended the event.

SSR is committed to Equal Opportunities and positively encourages applications from all sections of the community

23rd November 2007
Time is running out for applications to the FdSc in Sound Engineering and design

Anybody wishing to apply for this course should do so ASPA. Please contact Ian Hu on 0161 276 2110 or email ian.hu@s-s-r.com.

For more information, please visit the FdSc Sound Engineering and design courses page.

8th November 2007
Do you fancy Marilyn Manson?

The School of Sound Recording in association with STS Touring Productions Ltd are giving four SSR students the chance to be shown around when Marilyn Manson plays at the Manchester Central (formally G-MEX) this December.

This fantastic opportunity is aimed at students with a particular interest in the Live Sound industry. Students will be shadowing technicians/engineers and have exclusive back stage access during the show.

If you are interested, please email ian.hu@s-s-r.com with the subject header ‘Manson’. The successful students will be chosen at random.

Please note: The opportunity is offered exclusively to SSR students

9th October 2007
Orange Endorsement

40 years of Orange! As part of their 40th year Anniversary, Orange have kindly donated a selection of their world famous backline to SSR.

This equipment will be available for use by SSR students and also visiting bands & musicians for SSR’s live events and Wired nights. The school would like to especially thank the team at STS Touring Productions in Ardwick for facilitating this endorsement.

Jay Beard, SSR’s Live Sound Tutor said “I’d like to thank STS and Orange for getting behind SSR. This donation will allow students to get familiar with these world famous amps.”

Artists who use Orange backline include acts such as U2, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Switchfoot and Alanis Morissette to name a few. For more information please visit www.orangeamps.com

14th August 2007
Wired, 11/8/07 with Gasperilla, Arficeden and Damian Mercer

The night started as it meant to go on, with drive and conviction! Everyone involved should be proud of themselves for pulling off a convincing almost professional job. All the crew were great and took everything that was thrown at them in their stride.

The night was kicked off by Damian Mercer who did a wonderful set of his own songs accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, mixed by Matt Latham (FOH) and Ralph Smart (Monitors). Next came Arficeden with their own blend of instrumental prog rock and experimental jazz, mixed by Matt and Ralph again.

We had a bit of a break between bands with Jules spinning some tunes to allow Pete Seddon (Stage Manager) and Simon Hawkins (Microphone/Patch Technician) reset the stage for the headline act. We did a quick line check to make sure all the signals were good and that Andy Low (Recording Engineer) and Enos Desjardin (Recording Technician) were ready to go in the Charlie Jones Studio. Then Gasperilla launched into an awesome 30 min set with Dave Otterburn (FOH) and Craig Standden (Monitors) manning the desks. With rocking drums, pumping bass, screaming guitars and even more screaming vocals, Gasperilla rocked the crowd and did us proud.

Lets not forget the people who keep us refreshed all night with drinks from the bar, so thank you Kathie Mcginty, Dave McCarthy and Karen Morris. Special thanks also to Jay Ellis and Jim Smith who helped make the whole thing happen.

The next “Wired” night is 15th September so anyone who wants to get involved and help out please e-mail Jay.Beard@s-s-r.com.

31st July 2007
MEN COMPETITION WINNER ANNOUCNED

Joel Merrick from Stalybridge has won a two-year Audio Engineering Techniques & Technology course with SSR thanks to the Manchester Evening News. Joel was one of hundreds of people who saw the competition in the newspaper and decided to enter.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic”, says Joel “being given this opportunity will really help me excel in the world of music which I love so much. I’m still trying to take it all in! The shock hasn’t settled yet”

“I had heard of SSR through some friends that attended the course several years ago and I’ve wanted to enrol since then.”

Ian Hu, SSR Principal (pictured above with Joel) added “I could not be happier with the winner. I’ve only met Joel briefly but I think he will make a first-rate student. He was so excited when I called to tell him that he had won; he is obviously very keen.

Joel, 25 added “I’m most looking forward to learning the sequencing side of things and the live sound stuff. I can’t wait ”

10th July 2007
EQ Project update: Fourth intake will take place 5th September 2007

Funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) the EQ Project aims to promote diversity and equal opportunities in the audio industry, by ensuring that all sections of the community have access to the necessary education to prepare for a potential career in the industry.

The free, 14-week Access Course focuses on general studies subjects as well as music technology, and prepares students to move on to courses at Foundation Degree or HND level.

Three Access Courses have now been completed and a total of fifteen students have passed the course to date.

10th July 2007
EQ Project update: Four graduates from Access Course

Congratulations to the four students who recently graduated from the third EQ Access course. Shah Malik, David McCarthy, Duane Thomas and Trevor Walker completed the 14 week course with flying colours, and are now able to move directly into further education.

5th June 2007
New Degree and New Foundation Degree Top Up

School of Sound Recording, in partnership with Bolton University, is now able to offer two new Bachelor of Science with Honours qualifications. Following the success of the 2-year Foundation degree in Sound Engineering and Design, we now provide the opportunity to extend this by a third year to a full BSc(Hons) in Sound Engineering and Design.

This qualification will be awarded to students who, after successfully completing the FdSc, successfully finish a further year of study at level HE6. The third year modules will include Live Sound and PA systems, and further Pro Tools training in two Post Production modules, for music and video.

The second new qualification is the BSc(Hons) Sound Engineering Systems. This 3 year course has the first three semesters in common with the FdSc Sound Engineering and Design, but then diverges, having modules at levels HE5 and HE6 in the subject fields of electronics and signal processing.

Further to this, there is the opportunity for students on the FdSc course to switch to the BSc(Hons) Sound Engineering Systems course in the 3rd year, by simply completing a top-up bridging semester.

29th May 2007
STS Touring Productions endorse SSR

STS are the latest local employer to not only endorse the training courses at SSR, but to also get involved. STS (situated in Ardwick, Manchester) was founded 10 years ago by Managing Director Pete Dutton (pictured).

Pete says “STS are a specialist company. We provide full blown production for festivals and tours including PA, staging and lighting, but we specialise mainly in backline equipment. About 65% of our work is now backline”.

STS employ 4 full-time members of staff and have between 12 and 20 sound engineers and technician freelancers working for the company on a regular basis. Having worked with everyone from Slipknot and Slayer to Kylie and Shirley Bassey, their festival work this year includes Eurocultured, and Glastonbury. STS will be also be providing backline for Princes’ UK tour this year.

The good news for SSR is that STS have offered to provide guest lectures regarding PA and backline, as well as providing an open door for work-experience placements.

STS has an impressive list of PA and backline equipment on offer from the world’s top manufacturers such as, AB, AER, Akai, AKG, Allen & Heath, Amcron, Ampeg, Anchor, Behringer, Bespeco, Bose, Boss, BSS, C-Audio, Charvel, Cray, DAS, DBX, Denon, Dixon, Drawmer, Electro Harmonix, Fender, Gallien Krueger, Hammond, Honeywell, Hughes & Kettner, JBL, Jem, Jim Dunlop, K & M, Klark Technic, Korg, Kurzweil, Lab Gruppen, Lexicon, Line 6, Mackie, Marshall, Martin, Mesa Boogie, Midas, Music Man, Neumann, Nexo, Nord, Ohm, Oktava, Orange, Paiste, Panasonic, Peavey, Phonic, RCF, Roland, RTX, Sabine, Sennheiser, Shure, Sony, Soundcraft, Spirit, Stagg / Zildjian, Studiomaster, SWR, Takamine, Taylor, TC- Electronics, Technics, Trace Elliot, Turbosound, Ultimate, Vox, Yamaha

SSR would like to extend our sincere thanks to Pete and the team at STS for their endorsement of our courses and their future involvement in the UK’s leading audio training school.

For more information go to: http://www.ststouring.co.uk/

24th May 2007
Jay Beard, one of SSR's Live Sound Tutor on tour with Cherry Ghost.

Jay Beard has been touring up and down the country with Manchester’s greatest new band Cherry Ghost. The band have been receiving massive acclaim for their first two singles which have both been single of the week on BBC Radio 2 and their album due out in the summer is eagerly awaited and tipped for the top. But the greatest acclaim has been for the recent live shows with our own Jay Beard manning the front of house engineers position.

High Voltage Review
Music Dash Review

Jay says that it has been great touring with band but he’s looking forward getting stuck in to the new live sound course starting in September and passing on his knowledge. Jay’s next gig with Cherry Ghost will be at Glastonbury so those of you who are lucky enough to hold a ticket will be able to hear Jay mix them for the last time possibly.

17th May 2007
EMP Forum goes Live!

Exclusively for EMP students, SSR are pleased to announce the launch of the Electronic Music Production forum.

The forum has been an exciting development for the course and this will be the first time the students have had the chance to network and publish their music in an online content.

This will enable:-

17th May 2007 Foundation Degree Sound Engineering & Design Oct 05

The following students have recently completed a work-experience placement with the following companies:

17th May 2007
Fleetwood A.C.E Young Men at School of Sound Recording

As part of their on-going programme, Fleetwood A.C.E recently visited The School of Sound Recording for a day of DJing, MCing and general music making. In previous weeks the young men had been increasing their confidence, self esteem, learning new skills and practicing their own lyrics and stage performances.

Everybody who came on the trip learnt new skills in Djing, MCing and team work, as well as communication skills.

The young men from Fleetwood had the opportunity to meet two famous MCs (MC Roach and DJ Rik C) from the Manchester area and at the end of the day were able to take away their own CD recordings of themselves performing on stage.

15th May 2007
Music Industry Summer School

Whether you want to be the next George Martin, the next Pharrell, sing like Christina, or become the next Tiesto, come to SSR this summer for courses in Sound Engineering, Music Production, Vocals and DJing!!

THIS SUMMER we are running exclusive 5 day courses for 13-16 year olds (year 9,10 and 11 students),using our state of the art facilities at our nationally acclaimed music training centre …

click here for more information on Summer School

1st May 2007
Access to Audio for Women taster event

An introduction to audio technology and the Access to Audio for Women course was given at a taster event, held on Thursday, 10th May at the School of Sound Recording.

Attendees were treated to demonstrations in the areas of studio recording as well as sound for TV and film in SSR’s studios. They were also inspired by the careers of guest speakers who are actively involved in the audio industry.

The guest speakers were Caroline Churchill a.k.a. ‘Caro Snatch’ - an electronic music artist and sound engineer and the multi-talented Sam Kynaston a producer/engineer who once played flute with The Delgados and who now teaches at City College Manchester. The speakers were enthusiastic about the potential for women in the audio industry and urged attendees to grasp every opportunity to work with sound.

Any women interested in this course should call Ian on 0161 276 2110.

click here for more information on this course

1st May 2007
START DATES FOR ACESS TO AUDIO FOR WOMEN CONFIRMED

The next run of the Access to Audio for Women course will commence on Thursday 31st May.

This is a FREE 28-week, part-time evening course to help women access level 4 training in Audio such as the FdSc in Sound Engineering and Design.

This will include demonstrations, guest talks and Q&A sessions by women already working in the industry. At the end of the seminar, visitors will be given the opportunity to apply for the course.

Any women interested in this course should call Ian on 0161 276 2110.

click here for more information on this course

19th April 2007

Adlib Audio endorse SSR Live Sound Training.

Andy Dockerty of Adlib Audio has recently announced his backing of the Live Sound training at SSR with a series of amazing offers.

Adlib Audio are one of the UK’s top Audio companies, based in Liverpool, UK. Adlib’s services include sound reinforcement for a huge range of venues, sound and lighting for UK, European and World tours, sound system installations, sales and speaker manufacture. Adlib’s recent clients include 9 inch nails, Mika, Scissor Sisters, the Coral, Paulo Nutini, Maximo park, Texas, Manchester Versus Cancer.

Andy Dockerty of Adlib has pledged the following:

• A guest interview with Andy and award winning sound engineer Dave Kay (winner of the Total Production International Sound Engineer of the year 2006) , which will be recorded at SSR and available on CD for SSR students.
• Delivery of a sound reinforcement lecture during the course.
• A placement for each student on the Audio Engineering Live Sound Module at a selection of Manchester venues including Academy 1 – 4, The Ritz, The Apollo, HMV and Virgin venues.
• A paid work placement at Adlib Audio for a successful completer of the live course, pending successful application.

19th April 2007
Welcome aboard Jay Beard!

SSR take great pleasure in announcing the appointment of new Live Sound tutor Jay Beard. Jay has spent the last 10 years working at the top as an engineer in the live sound industry. Best known for his live work with bands such as Doves, Snow Patrol, Elbow and Cherry Ghost, Jay brings a vast amount of real-life experience into the classrooms and studios.

One of Jay’s first tasks at SSR will be to organise and run the Van Damme Live Nights, which will be running every two weeks start